Chief Engineer (Substation HV Plant) – Balfour Beatty plc

About The Role

Balfour Beatty Power T&D is searching for an experienced Primary Engineer to assume the pivotal role of Chief Engineer for Substation HV Plant. This is an exciting opportunity for a professional with UK transmission expertise and deep knowledge of SSE and/or National Grid technical specifications and procedures.

Key Accountabilities

• Provide technical leadership and guidance across the discipline.
• Ensure the quality and standards compliance of all deliverables.
• Support the growth and competencies of our talented team.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the team in understanding client requirements, including those not captured in the contract, and influence contract specifications.
• Collaborate closely with other Chief Engineers and Design Delivery Managers and promote collaboration within the discipline between Designers and Technicians.
• Assist in analysis of test failures and develop mitigations or solutions.
• Collaborate with the Design Delivery Manager to develop and maintain the team’s technical competencies and expertise.
• Lead technical challenges affecting tender development and live projects, providing support to the relevant Design Delivery Manager.
• Support the Lead Designer during tender development, particularly regarding risks and opportunities.
• Propose and support development of technical innovations.
• Support changes in process and technology proposed and undertaken by the Digital and Delivery teams.
• Contribute to development and updating of design aids and computer programmes; assist in analysis of new design concepts.
• Ensure the discipline’s scope of work for each project is technically compliant with customer requirements, quality standards and Safety by Design principles.
• Develop and maintain succession plans for the role and support the Design Delivery Manager in doing the same for other key roles.
• Support discipline activities whether standalone or part of multidisciplinary Contracts.
• Implement Engineering Excellence, Safety by Design and sustainability goals.
• Maintain and apply Manuals and Technical Procedures for compliance with Quality and Safety standards.
• Join, influence and promote relevant Technical Bodies for the discipline.
• Support PDRs for discipline alongside the Design Delivery Manager.

Skills Required

• Degree level education or equivalent with formal training in engineering.
• Chartered Engineer preferred with professional body (e.g. ICE, IEEE or IStructE).
• Strong, proven postgraduate experience in the engineering and design sector.
• Strong, proven experience managing design works.
• IT Literate (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel).
• Extensive experience of technical design.
• Experience of the power industry (preferred).
• Experience working with National Grid / SSE would be a benefit.

Benefits

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata).
• Family friendly policies including 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave.
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more.

About Us

Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution teams work with regional, national and international electricity network owners and operators to provide technical engineering solutions across the full spectrum of the electricity grid, including overhead lines, cabling, substations and distribution networks. From scoping and feasibility to design, construction and ongoing maintenance, our in-house experts, flexible resources and industry‑leading innovations support customers in the development of some of the UK’s most ambitious power transmission and distribution projects.

EEO and Diversity

We are a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists. As a Disability Confident Employer we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long‑term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role.